Staff Favorite: Artichoke in the East Village

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When I was in college, my dorm was just down the street from a small, unassuming pizza joint. My friend recommended it to me, and on a whim, I decided to go late one night. It was a small, unassuming storefront that could only hold the first five people in line inside the front door. The line spilled out onto the street, thirty people strong. I shot my friend a skeptic look, suggesting we just go somewhere that didn’t include such a stiff wait time. He insisted, and so we shivered in line and inched closer to the smells emanating from the kitchen.

On the inside, one sees a small refrigerator filled with soda, a Bud Light tap, and a mannequin leg that led up to a lampshade, dimly lighting the interior of the restaurant. Above this odd lamp was a mildly disturbing portrait of the Kennedy Brothers. Once I was able to tear my eyes away from the Kennedys' oddly large teeth, I finally saw the reason we had waited in line for so long.

At Artichoke on 14th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues, the pizza comes at $4 a slice. While this is a little steep, you will instantly see why you paid so much. Huge slices fill your to-go box (as there is no in-house dining), and when you step back out into the cold and take your first bite, you suddenly feel as if you don’t need your winter jacket.

With choices between Artichoke (so cheesy its almost illegal), and my personal favorite Margharita (crunchy and zesty, exactly how this slice should taste), and Crab (a meat you don’t see often on a pizza, but should definitely try), its really hard to go wrong.

These slices are so filling and satisfying that whenever I have guests in the city, this is undoubtedly the place I take them for dinner. If you are game to brave the cold and the line, you will be rewarded for the absolute best (or at least my particular favorite) pizza in New York City.